Your Shadow
by Kimmytrainer
Summary: After Atem left the Puzzle and the real world, Yugi misses him. A lot. "You know how when you're really tired and warm and comfy in bed, cuddled up under the covers, and then you're forced to wake up and go into the cold outside world? Well, the Pharaoh was those blankets, and I've only recently woken up."


I realized I had forgotten to add an author's note, but I didn't have time last night. And I just now realized that my story breaks are nonexistent here... I shall correct that now. Anyway, I randomly had this idea last night. I hope you like it!

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Yugi woke to see that it was still dark outside. There were tears running down his face, as was normal since the pharaoh left. He always saw him in his dreams, and always cried when he realized they weren't real.

"Why did you go?" he whispered to the air, hoping for a response.

No one answered.

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Yugi walked around outside, aimlessly. He had nowhere he had to go, so he had subconsciously headed to his favorite secluded area on the edge of town. There were well-kept benches, as well as a beautiful fountain, but Yugi never saw anyone around to use them. He stood by the fountain, looking into it and noticing that it was in fact very deep, probably going ten feet into the ground.

Looking into the darkness, Yugi said, "Pharaoh, is your world as dark as this deep water? Or is death bright, like the top of the fountain, where the water flows under the sun's rays?" He closed his eyes. "Please, talk to me like you used to… I miss you…."

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Yugi stood from the ground where he had laid, wiping his forehead. The grass around him was shiny, and there was a dark outline, formed by the light. He knew it would get dark soon, but his shadow was still there. It was taller than him, the pointy hair easily depicted in the mind's eye.

"I see you in my shadows, Pharaoh," Yugi whispered to no one. "Why did you leave me?"

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Yugi returned home after a long day of thinking, opening the game shop door with his key. It was odd that the store was closed so early, even though it was already getting dark. The Kame Game Shop usually stayed open later on a Saturday.

Yugi opened the door and called in, "Grandpa?"

No response.

He headed to the living room in the back of the store. "Grandpa? Are you here?"

As he walked in the room and turned the lights on, a bunch of people jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!"

Surprise indeed. Yugi jumped, nearly having a heart attack. He looked around to see the faces of his closest old friends.

"Joey, Tristan, Tea, why are you guys here?" Yugi turned to the last person in the room. "Grandpa, why are they here?"

His grandpa frowned, and Tea answered, "Silly, you didn't forget about your own _birthday_, did you?"

Yugi looked at her, blinking. "What day is it?"

Tea frowned. "June fourth." She watched his expression change as he realized that is was indeed his birthday.

"Oh."

Joey said, "Yug', you okay? You're usually good about these things."

Tristan added, "Yeah, man, did something happen?"

Yugi looked down at his shadow, which was caused by the lights. Fighting back tears, he began, "Why am I here? What right to I have to stand in this room while three of the best friends in the world celebrate my birthday for me when _he_ can't even be here?"

The others looked at him sadly as Tea stepped forward to hug him. "I know, Yugi. Love is hard. I understand. He was an amazing person, and we were both in love with him for it. So I get it."

Yugi lifted his head, the tears now falling freely, and pulled away from Tea. "No, that's just it. You _don't_ understand. He might have been _on_ your mind, but he wasn't _in_ it. He wasn't a part of you like he was me. And he had half of my mind _and_ my heart. And now that he's gone, my heart is broken, and I'm loosing my mind just trying to hold on to him." Yugi fell to the floor, clutching his hair. Tears were spilling down his face as he sobbed, moving his hands to the floor where his shadow rested. He reached for the shadow's face, carefully setting a hand on it. "He's in my every shadow. As long as there is light where I stand, he'll always be here with me…."

Joey spoke up. "Yug', I won't say I understand, because none of us knew him or loved him like you did. But I think you need to let go of him. He's in a better place, and he's happy."

Yugi looked up. "How could you possibly know he's happy?"

Joey studied him carefully. "Ya know, that's a good point. I imagine he _wouldn't_ be happy right now, seeing you destroy yourself. I'll bet he's been watching over you this whole time."

Tristan piped in. "You know, you're probably depressing him with your depression, and he can't even do anything about it, man. You have to pull yourself together for him."

As Yugi stared up at him, lost, Tea walked back to the coffee table and picked something up. "Hey, Yugi," she started, bringing it over to him. "This is for you."

Yugi took it from her waiting hands, then just stared at it. "What is it?"

Tea smiled. "Open it, and you'll see."

As Yugi turned the present over, Tristan spoke up, "Joey actually made it for you."

Joey glared at him, blushing. "Yeah, but it was _your_ idea, somehow."

"And it was Tea's memory. So therefore, it's from all of us."

Tea sat down next to Yugi, then took one of his hands. "Yugi, this is made by all of us," she said. "We want you to know how much we care about you."

Yugi glanced at her, before looking back down and tearing off the paper. He took the rectangular object from the scraps, and said, "It's a painting."

"Turn it around, Yugi."

Yugi did. On it, he saw the best moment and worst moment of his life. It was from the day the Pharaoh left – after their duel, when Yugi was crying for sending him away. Atem was kneeling in front of him, a hand on his shoulder, as Yugi looked up into his eyes. There were tears falling down Yugi's face. They were looking at each other with the most loving expressions, their true feelings clear.

Yugi could remember that day perfectly. He remembered the duel, he remembered saying goodbye, and he remembered this scene. But how could he have forgotten one of the last things Atem had told him? "You are setting me free." Yugi had freed the Pharaoh and made him happy.

"Look, Yugi," Tea spoke quietly. "This is what you two looked like at that moment. It might be a painting, but it's as clear and true as a photograph." She smiled at him, her own tears building up in her eyes. "You can see the love in both his and your eyes. He _loved_ you, Yugi. You need to know that."

Yugi's tears continued. He stared at the painting, tracing his fingers along the Pharaoh's outline.

"Yugi, there's this, too," Tea said after picking up an envelope. She handed it to him. "It's from Atem. He gave it to me the night you were picking your decks for his final duel. You were as far away as possible, so he came and asked me to give this to you on your birthday if he were to loose the duel."

Yugi silently took the letter, reading the cover. "To Yugi", it said. He slowly turned it over and carefully peeled it open. He took out the piece of paper and began to read.

_Dear Yugi,_

_I hope that some day you will be able to read this. It will never get to you if I happen to win this duel, but after watching you grow, I believe everyone will be surprised by the outcome. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being with me these past few years, and for working so hard to help me reach the place where I belong. I am sorry I could never tell you my feelings, but by the time I realized them myself, I had already known I'd be leaving. They say a short love is better than no love at all, but I think in our case it is different. It will be hard enough for you to see me go if we are just friends – I can't possibly do that to you. But I want you to know, I will always be waiting for you. I want you to live your life to the fullest. Continue to duel as long as you love it. Live the way I got to for those short few years – duel against as many strong foes as you can find, and show them your own strength. Be confident in yourself. I know that no matter how shy you are, you will never, ever lack a reason to be confident. More than anything, I want you to be happy. I want you to do as much as you can and love as much as you can. If you happen to fall in love with someone, I want you to let yourself do what will make you happy. I don't want you to live life waiting for me – I shall do the waiting for both of us. So, no matter what, follow your heart. Plan for the future, but live in the moment. And be happy. For, when I am watching over you from Heaven, I shall see every tear you shed, and know every thing you feel. So do what you honestly want to, not for me, but for yourself. And know that you can let me go. You have freed me, so please, allow yourself to be freed, as well._

_More than anything, I want you to know two things. The first: I love you, Yugi, more than anything. You are my light, and you are my heart. So if you are happy, then so shall I be._

_The second is, no matter what happens, I am here. I will wait for you and watch over you forever. I will make myself known in your every shadow, for I am forever the dark to your light._

_So please, my love, let me go, but do not forget. I will always be by your side, as I am now, and as I was these past few years. And now, even though I am not truly living, I shall be forever alive with you._

_I love you, Yugi, with all my heart. Never forget that._

_Sincerely,_

_Atem_

Yugi cried. As he finished reading, he moved the letter so as to not let tears fall onto it. He had never been so happy, or so lonely, in all his life.

"Pharaoh… I love you, too," he whispered to his shadow.

Suddenly, he felt as though the envelope weighed more than just paper. He looked inside it to find a flat charm of a pyramid. However, unlike most pyramids, this one was upside down.

"It's… the Puzzle," Yugi said, looking at it. He turned it around and saw printed in tiny letters, _"My Light, I give you my mind and my heart. I will forever be your Shadow."_

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So, did you like it? I considered ending it tragically, but decided against it. Anyway, please REVIEW!


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